Plans are underway to try and get the 38-year-old into the country in time for his next Johannesburg show, which is scheduled for Saturday. He has four back-to-back shows in the city, the first of which was due to be tonight, and all of which are sold out.

Tony Feldman, a local publicist, described it as an “unexpected and disappointing last-minute change”. The promoters are now trying to fit a replacement show in next week to ensure tonight’s ticket holders do not miss out.

Brand’s Messiah Complex tour runs until April next year, and will take the award-winning comedian to countries across the world, including Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Turkey – provided he can sort out his passport problems.

Brand has made headlines in recent weeks due to a controversial interview with Jeremy Paxman on Newsnight, in which he advised young peoplenot to vote. The video of the encounter has since clocked up over nine million hits on YouTube.

Last week, he posted a photo of himself on Twitter wearing a Guy Fawkes mask at a march organised by Hacktivist group Anonymous.